A budget is a reflection of the state’s values

State budgets reflect a set of values. Do lawmakers believe all public school students have a right to have a high-quality public education? They often say yes, but it turns out to be lip service. Children deserve, but don’t have, a nurse in every school, access to modern technology in all classrooms or enough school counselors to handle the emotional assistance that so many kids need. And teachers self-fund supplies.

Today’s state budget and tax policies demonstrate that lawmakers don’t value public education. We need a smarter, fairer approach to fully fund our schools.

The richest Illinoisans now pay a lower effective tax rate than the rest of us, and corporations exploit loopholes that allow them to dodge their fair share.

Here are five fixes that could make a difference:

1. Close corporate tax loopholes. Eliminating corporate tax breaks that don’t deliver on jobs or economic growth could bring in billions each year.

2. Implement a graduated income tax. The flat income tax forces a teacher and a billionaire to pay the same rate. We need a graduated income tax, where higher earners pay more.

3. Tax wealth, not work. Illinois should explore taxing extreme wealth, such as financial transactions, luxury real estate and inherited assets, which could mean big gains for our schools.

4. Rein in TIF abuse. Tax Increment Financing districts were meant to spur development in struggling areas, but they often divert money from public schools to private projects in already wealthy neighborhoods.

5. Demand federal support and equity. We need bold leadership in Washington and Springfield to prioritize children over corporations.

A budget is a moral document. It is morally irresponsible for politicians not to make public education a top spending priority. Let’s start asking the wealthiest to invest in the future of all our children.

Kyle Stern, President,

West Suburban Teachers Union, Local 571